Apparent digestibility coefficients of selected protein feed ingredients for loach Misgurnus anguillicaudatus

Apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter, crude protein, lipid and energy, and amino acids availability in white fish meal, brown fish meal, meat meal, fermented soybean meal, soybean meal and rapeseed meal were determined for loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) (12.05 ± 0.21 g), using a reference diet with 5 g kg^?1 chromic oxide and test diets that contained 700 g kg^?1 reference diet, by weight, and 300 g kg^?1 of the test feed ingredients. The juvenile loach was held in 300‐l tanks at a density of 30 fish per tank. White fish meal, brown fish meal, meat meal and fermented soybean meal had highest apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) of dry matter, crude protein and gross energy among ingredients tested, ranged from 50.4% to 60.9% for dry matter, from 64.6% to 88.4% for crude protein and from 57.9% to 79.0% for gross energy. The apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter ranged from 61.0% to 66.9% for animal products and 50.4% to 60.7% for plant products. For crude protein, apparent digestibility coefficients of protein exceeding 80% were observed for white fish meal, brown fish meal, meat meal and fermented soybean meal, and the apparent digestibility coefficients of protein in rapeseed meal were the lowest among all the treatments. Lipids from both animal and plant feedstuffs were poorly digested by loach, ranging from 64.0% to 77.6%. The apparent digestibility coefficients of energy were similar to those of dry matter and protein, and the highest and lowest ADCs of energy were found in WFM and RM, respectively. The loach used dietary phosphorus from the animal feedstuffs more efficiently than from plant feedstuffs (soybean meal and rapeseed meal), with ADC‐values ranging from 42.3% to 53.1% and from 25.1% to 32.7%, respectively. For the animal products, the availabilities of amino acids in white fish meal and brown fish meal were higher than that in meat meal, expect for Met, Asp, Pro, Gly, and Cys. Among all the plant products, the availabilities of amino acids in fermented soybean meal were higher than in soybean meal and rapeseed meal, and thus had a greater potential to be used as a dietary replacement of fish meal in loach diets.     

Fishmeal availability in the scenarios of climate change: Inevitability of fishmeal replacement in aquafeeds and approaches for the utilization of plant protein sources

Fishmeal is being trusted as the most reliable protein source due to its nutritional quality in terms of attractability, palatability, digestibility, excellent nutrient profiles to fulfil the dietary requirement of aquatic species. The aquaculture sector consumes >70% of global fishmeal, though aqua feeds constitute only 4% in total industrial feed production (900–1,000 Mt in 2018). The global fishmeal production has shown a downward trend of 26.50% during 2000 to 2018 due to the occurrences of El Niño–Southern Oscillationsand other climatic events, which in turn increased the fishmeal price from 452 USD/t (2000) to 1596.54 USD/t (2018). The increasing trend of aquaculture production along with reduced fish‐in/fish‐out ratios (0.63 in 2000 to 0.33, 0.22 in 2010 and 2015 respectively) indicates the resilience of the aquafeed sector for fishmeal replacement. The wide availability, reasonable price and reliable nutrient content made an interest in plant protein sources, but their utilization was limited due to poor digestibility, imbalanced profiles of essential nutrients and the presence of anti‐nutrients. Numerous methodologies are invented in recent times to enrich the nutritional qualities for maximizing the utilization of plant proteins in aquafeed formulations. The present review concludes that the aquafeed sector should use climate economics and technological innovations for substituting fishmeal to formulate the cost‐effective feeds.     

吉林省外来入侵生物的危害及防治对策

报道了吉林省境内分布外来入便生物40种,其中植物类21种,病原微生物3种,动物类16种,并提出了建立生物入侵的防御体系和预警、应急机制,加强科学研究,切实加强生物安全观念,注意转基因植物的入侵,注意宣传、教育等防治建议和对策。     

马来眼子菜和POM稳定同位素对污染物的指示作用

为了探究大型植物马来眼子菜（Potamogeton malaianus）和颗粒有机物质（Particulate organic matter,POM）对湖泊主要污染来源的指示作用,在贡湖湾选取14个样点,采集马来眼子菜和POM样品,分析其碳、氮稳定同位素的变化。结果显示,马来眼子菜和POM有相似的δ15N值趋势,都是随着离入湖口距离越远,其δ15N值逐渐增加,马来眼子菜的δ15N值为10.8‰～14.1‰,POM的δ15N值为6.69‰～14.1‰;而马来眼子菜的δ13C值随着离入湖口距离越远有下降趋势,变化范围为-17.6‰ ~ -14.5‰;POM的δ13C值则有增加趋势,变化范围为-26.9‰ ~ -24.6‰。马来眼子菜较高的δ15N值指示了人类生活污水来源的氮,表明贡湖湾的主要污染源为生活污水。相关分析表明,水中总溶解磷（TDP）与马来眼子菜的δ15N值有明显的负相关关系,水中的总氮（TN）与POM的δ15N、δ13C值则呈很好的正相关关系。而POM的N占比和底泥的δ15N值分别与POM的δ15N值有明显的正相关性。研究表明,马来眼子菜和POM的δ15N、δ13C值能够指示太湖贡湖湾的主要污染来源。     

Effects of dietary carbohydrate sources on the growth performance and hepatic carbohydrate metabolic enzyme activities of juvenile cobia (Rachycentron canadum Linnaeus.)

An 8-week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary carbohydrate sources on the growth performance and hepatic carbohydrate metabolic enzyme activities of juvenile cobia. Six experimental diets were formulated to contain 20% glucose, sucrose, maltose, dextrin, corn starch and wheat starch respectively. The results indicated that fish fed the wheat starch and dextrin diets showed significantly better weight gain, specific growth rate and protein efficiency ratio compared with those fed the other diets. However, fish fed the glucose diet had a significantly lower survival and condition factor than those fed the other diets. There were significant differences in the total plasma glucose and triglyceride concentration in fish fed diets with different dietary carbohydrate sources. Haematocrit, haemoglobin, red blood cell and leucocytes were significantly affected by the dietary carbohydrate sources. The activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), 6-phosphofructokinase (PFK) and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase) were significantly affected by the dietary carbohydrate sources, while fish fed the glucose diet showed higher G6PD, PFK and FBPase activities than those fed the other diets. These data indicated that dextrin and wheat starch were the most optimal carbohydrate sources for juvenile cobia.     

Invasive black spiny‐tailed iguanas (Ctenosaura similis) on Gasparilla Island,Florida, USA

The native range of Ctenosaura similis extends from southern Mexico through Panama. From an initial introduction of 3 animals in 1979, the species now numbers in the thousands on Gasparilla Island in southwest Florida. In response to complaints of property damage from residents and threats to native species, local officials and the US Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services began a removal program in 2008. Through 2011, trappers removed 9467 ctenosaurs. The number removed declined from 32 iguanas/day in 2008 to 1.9 iguanas/day in 2011 despite no easing of the control effort. We necropsied 2757 ctenosaurs to document aspects of their natural history. Females outnumbered males overall, although the largest size class (>300 mm snout–vent length) included 32 males and just 2 females. Reproduction was seasonal. We found oviducal eggs in females from early Apr to early Jun, approximately 2 months later than C. similis in its native range. We trapped hatchlings from late Jul to early Oct coincident with the summer rainy season. Clutch size increased with female body size, with 62 being the largest clutch size recorded. In general, the biology of the invasive population on Gasparilla Island resembles native C. similis populations in Central America, except for the lack of large individuals. We suggest that shorter day length and colder temperatures create environmental conditions that are suboptimal for individual growth compared to those in the native range.     

Downstream drift of round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) and tubenose goby (Proterorhinus semilunaris) in their non‐native area

Several Ponto‐Caspian gobiid species have recently expanded their ranges in Europe and North America. This is the first study to demonstrate passive downstream dispersal (drift) of the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) and tubenose goby (Proterorhinus semilunaris) in newly colonised areas (River Dyje, Danube basin), a factor that could play an important role in their dispersal. Drift duration (i.e. number of dates on which the species was caught) in round goby was longer than that of both native species and tubenose goby, providing a possible advantage. Size of drifting fish was restricted to a narrow range of 6–8 mm and 5–8 mm for round and tubenose goby, respectively. Drift in both species occurred almost completely during hours of darkness (<1 lux) and fish size did not vary throughout the night. In both species, drift density increased significantly during the first hour after dusk. Round goby density gradually decreased up to dawn, while tubenose goby density varied throughout the night with no clear pattern. Drift of early life stages appears to be an important phenomenon that has not received adequate attention in studies of round and tubenose goby ecology and dispersal.     

Intercepted Scolytidae (Coleoptera) at U.S. ports of Entry: 1985–2000

Since 1985, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has maintained the 'Port Information Network' (PIN) database for plant pests intercepted at the U.S. ports of entry. As of August 2001, PIN contained 6825 records of beetles (Coleoptera) in the family Scolytidae that had been intercepted during the years 1985–2000 from countries outside of North America. Of the 6825 scolytid interceptions, 2740 (40%) were identified to the species level, 2336 (34%) to only the genus level, and 1749 (26%) were identified to only the family level. Of the 49 identified scolytid genera, the 10 most common were Hypothenemus (821 interceptions), Pityogenes (662), Ips (544), Coccotrypes (520), Orthotomicus (461), Hylurgops (327), Hylurgus (266), Tomicus (194), Dryocoetes (166), and Hylastes (142). The 10 most common identified species were Pityogenes chalcographus (565 interceptions), Orthotomicus erosus (385), Hylurgops palliatus (295), Ips typographus (286), Hylurgus ligniperda (217), Ips sexdentatus (157), Tomicus piniperda (155), Hylastes ater (75), Hypothenemus hampei (62), and Polygraphus poligraphus (48). Of these 10 species, H. palliatus, H. ligniperda, and T. piniperda are known to be established in the continental U.S. The scolytids were intercepted from 117 different countries; the top 12 countries were Italy (1090 interceptions), Germany (756), Spain (457), Mexico (425), Jamaica (398), Belgium (352), France (261), China (255), Russia (247), India (224), U.K. (151), and Portugal (150). The scolytids were intercepted in 35 U.S. states and 97 port cities. In general, there was a positive relationship between the number of scolytid interceptions from individual countries and the value of the imports from those countries. Overall, 73% of the scolytids were found in solid wood packing materials, 22% in food or plants, and 5% in other or unspecified materials. The products most commonly associated with scolytid-infested wood packing materials were tiles, marble, machinery, steel, parts, ironware, granite, aluminum, slate, and iron. The food products and plants that were commonly infested with scolytids included nutmeg, palms, coffee beans, kola nuts, and macadamia nuts.     

Characterization and quantitative assessment of interspecific and intraspecific penetration of below-ground vegetation by cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv.) rhizomes

Cogongrass ( Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv.), an invasive C4 perennial grass, negatively influences native plant communities by forming dense monotypic stands that alter ecosystem properties and lower local species diversity. A hypothesized mechanism by which cogongrass achieves competitive dominance is a novel use of below-ground vegetative disturbance of neighboring vegetation (i.e. puncturing). However, very little empirical evidence is found in the peer-reviewed literature to quantify this phenomenon, much less establish it as a true form of competitive interaction. The present field study was conducted to quantify the occurrence of rhizome-mediated, below-ground vegetative penetration, both interspecifically and intraspecifically, document how this phenomenon is influenced by spatial location relative to the cogongrass stand, and determine the role that above-ground and below-ground biomass might have in the process. Analyses of 100 sod samples indicated that rhizome-mediated, below-ground vegetative penetration is a much larger intraspecific phenomenon than an interspecific one. The data also strongly suggested spatial location as a significant factor, with most penetrations occurring in the interior of a cogongrass stand as opposed to the advancing border. Significant correlations between rhizome-mediated, below-ground vegetative penetration and above-ground cogongrass biomass were found in the overall plot analysis and most strongly in the advancing border of the cogongrass stands.